Best of 2001: Best Place To Rent Tools

Some say it's as high as 95 percent. But it's safe to say, at least 75 percent of being a successful do-it-yourselfer is having the right tools to do the job. But if you only have one small bathroom floor to tile, why would you buy a $350 tile-cutting wet saw, even if you did have plenty of garage space to store it in. You wouldn't, not when you could rent it for $8 an hour (three-hour minimum) at Aztec. And why drop $240 on a 24-foot extension ladder when you can rent one for $18 per day? The same goes for dump trucks, trailers, Bobcats, backhoes, rototillers, impact drills, floor polishers, and concrete mixers. And visiting Aztec is a pleasure in itself for those who love tools. The array of tools is cared for by a crew (usually three) of greasy-handed men in brown Dickies and tan work shorts with name patches sewn on. Inside the office, clipboards that date to the '50s hang on the wall behind the counter. Orders are processed not by computer, which are no good during blackouts, but on carbon paper kept in an old metal file box.